Rotary steam-engine.



No. 735,203. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. H. E. BRIDGE.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 23, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 735,203. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. H. E. BRIDGE.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 23, 1902. F0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SE33! 2.

UNITED STATES Patented August 4, 1901;.

HOMER E. BRIDGE, OF HAZARDVILL I, CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFIOATIQN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 735,203, dated August d, 1903.

Application filed December 23,1902. Serial No. 136,359. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

' Beit known that I, HoMEaE. BRIDGE, acitizen of the United States of America,and a resident of Hazardville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in engines, more particularly steam-engines of a class wherein the piston has a continuous revoluble motion within an annular steamchamber, such piston having attachment to a central shaft or body, by which it is carried and from which it extends radially into and to closelyfit the walls of the aforesaid annular steam-chamber, a part termed a rotary abutment serving to constitute the end wall for the steam-space, the other end wall of which is constituted by the movable revoluble piston, provisions for the control and conveyance of the pressure and exhaust-steam being made.

The objects of the invention are to provide a generally-improved organization of the parts and appliances which constitute the engine for acquiring a high degree of efficiency, for enabling the steam to be used ex pansively, if desired, or to be used at high pressure entirely or changed instantly, so as to run partially under the impact of the steam and partially under the expansive action thereof, with capability for varying the time in each cycle in which the engine will run under expansion and for insuring capabilities of reversal of the engine.

The invention consists in the construction and cooperative arrangement or combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafterfully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 issubstantially asectional view taken through the engine transversely of the driving-shaft thereof. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the engine as seen at the opposite or rear side of the sectional elevation, Fig. 1. Fig. 4isa vertical sectional view as taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2, and lookinginthe direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a slight modification inone of the appliances different from the corresponding part shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are perspective views of portions of the apparatus to be hereinafter particularly referred to.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

The engine or motor comprises a body constructed in'the form of a casing A, having the annular chamber a therein'corresponding to the cylinder of an engine, such annular chamber 0. opening at 1) into a chamber B, of cylindrical form, the axis of which is parallel with the axis of the annular chamher a and the casing to form and inclose the said annular chamber a, and the cylindrical chamber B is constructed of the two separate castings 10 and 12, arranged facewise the one against the other-and confined by the plurality of bolts d with nuts and screws 61.

The casing-sections 10 12 are constructed with intermediate opposite hubs 13 13 to constitute journal-bearings for the main shaft 0 of the engine, on which is keyed or otherwise affixed a disk or comparatively large circular plate D facewise closely next to the inner surfaces of the casing-section's l0 and 12, but rotatable relatively thereto in unison with the main shaft, and this disk has the radially and edgewise extended piston in the form of a circular disk D to closely fit'and move around without steam leakage in the annular chamber a of the engine-casing, the axis of this piston-disk being coincident with the cen tral circular line or what may be regarded as the circular axis of the said steam-chamber shaped aperture therefor 'in the disk D, the

radial projecting portions being clamped together by the bolts and nuts 6, confining annular packings e in rabbets formed within their inner surfaces.

E represents the rotary abutment ofa general cylindrical form, having opposite end walls 15 15 and a plurality, here three, of semicylindrical recesses 16, opening to the periphery of the said appliance E, so as to per mit in proper time the accommodation of the radial piston therethrough'as such piston is moving in its circular path, the solid portion .of the abutment constituting properly an end wall to the annular steam-chamber a, as readily understood. The said rotary abut ment has an axial length slightly less than the axial length of the aforementioned chamber B, so that at one end of the rotary abutment and between such end and the adjacent end wall of the chamber B is fitted a valve-disk F, the same having asleeve F which loosely fits over the counter-shaft G, on which the aforementioned rotary abutment E is connected or otherwise aifixed, rear bearings at 17 17 being provided for the main shaft 0 and counter-shaft G, which may be properly termed the abutment-shaft. The one end wall of the rotary abutment has the portsf therethrough, being three or other number, corresponding to the number of the semicylindrical openings 16, these ports being of such length relatively to the circle of rotation of the rotary abutment as to receive the ample steam supply as permitted to pass therethrongh by the ports of the valve-disk F.

The ports of the valve-disk F are shown as three in number, those, 9 9, being inlet-ports, while the one, 72., is the exhaust-port. Through the end wall of the cylindrical chamber B, adjoining which is the valve-disk F, are oppositelylocated inlet and opposite ports '5 and j, having communication, respectively, with the steam-supply pipe H and the exhaust-pipe J by way of the opposite (upper and lower) passages H and J.

The sleeve F on which the valve-disk F is mounted, has aflixed thereto a radially-extended lever-arm F, by means of which the disk may be rotated in any desired slight extent to regulate the lead and cut-0E which is acquired by the registry of the ports G with the ports F through the end wall of the rotary abutment leading to the steam-space 16 therein connected with the annular steamchamber of the engine, and said valve-disk is provided to have a further function of "a reversing appliance for the engine. The passages H and J are extended between the aforementioned ports 1' and j and the cylindrical chamber K, in which is fitted a valveplug L, such plug, of the form shown in Fig. 4, being a three-way plug and having an axial passage 20, continued in a radial passage 22, extending to its periphery.

The passage or branch 23 of the valveplug L is adapted to register with the inlet steam-supply passage H, which enters through the side of the portion of the casing, within which the chamber K is inclosed, and one of the branches 24 in continuation of the branch 23 has a crosswise course to lead, for instance, to the steam-passage H, the other crosswise branch 25 terminating against the closed inner portion of the casing-wall, and

when the branch 24 is in connection between sage J, itbeing seen in Figs.'2 and 3 in what.

manner the exhaust. or waste conduit J has connection with the central passage through the valve-plug and end wall of the casing within which said plug is inclosed. The said valve-plug L has the axial stem k, on which is a handle-lever K by means of which partial rotary motion may be imparted to the plug.

There is affixed upon the counter-shaft G a disk M, having a set of deep notchesm therein in number corresponding to the semicylindrical openings 16 in the rotary abutment E and producing separate radial engagement members for the abutment-shaft, and mounted upon a disk or rotatable support N on the driving-shaft is a stud 19, Fig. 3, which once every revolution thereof in unison with each turn of the main shaft engages in one of the notches m of said disk, remaining in engagement just long enough to carry the disk M around one-third of a turn, thereby turning the shaft G correspondingly to rotate the rotary abutment E a third way around in proper time to let the radial passage D pass the adjacent partition between two of the openings in the abutment and to bring another portf in the end wall of the rotary abutment into registry with the one, g, of the ports through the valve-disk F which gives communication with the steam-supply therethrough.

It is desirable to employ a click or detent in conjunction with the toothed disk M, and a form of such a device as indicated in Fig. 3 at L, consisting of a roller 30 on the end of a pivotally-mounted lever 32, a spring 33 keeping the lever up to the proper presentation with the roll against the notched edge of the disk. Any other approved form of detent or functional device may be used. In addition to the deep notches m in the disk M there are intermediate less deep notches n, cooperating with which is an adjustable stud q, carried on the rotary support N. This stud q is affixed to an arc-shaped plate Q, which has slots q, through which confining bolts or screws g are passed with a screw ongagement into the rotary support N, the enlarged heads of these screws clamping the plate Q in its given position of adjustment. The stud q is adjustable radially in the slot 0, formed in the plate Q,so that it may have a position for impingement in one of the notches of the disk M, which may be located adjacent its circular path, the depth of the engagement of this stud into the notched part and the corresponding length of theimpingement being regulated by the extent to which the stud is adjusted inwardly on thesupport N, and the instant of its impingement may be rendered slightly earlier or later in its every revolution by sliding the plate around in one direction or the other on the circular,

support N.

Now in the operation of the engine with parts adjusted about as shown in the drawings it will be perceived that the piston D will rotate in the direction of the arrow as because of theingress of steam through the rotary abutment-port f coming therethrough to the narrow port g in the valve-disk F, which is in communication with the steaminlet passage H, and the steam under pressure will drive the piston around in the direction of the aforesaid arrow, and it will be understood that the aforementioned adjustable stud q will when the piston D has made one-half of a revolution, more or less, under the impact of the steam come to impingement against the pathway of one of the notches of the disk M, remaining in such impingement justlong enough to force the rotary abutment E around in the direction of the arrow sufliciently to carry the abutment-port f completely. out of registry with the port g, thereby cutting off the steam and leaving the engine to work for the latter hall of the revolution of the piston D under the expansion of the steam, and as the piston approaches the partition of the rotary abutment which is across the steam-chamber C0 the aforementioned stud 19, having the comparatively deep impingement within the disk-notch adjacent its path, will cause the rotation of the diskshaft G and rotary abutment one-third of a turn to let the abutment-partition across the steam-chamber assume the out-ofthe-wayposition, allowing the piston to pass in the opening 16 and the portsfto come adjacentand into registry with the steam-inlet port g, and of course it will be understood that so soon as the piston comes to the completion of its cycle the steam may exhaust through the rotary abutment-port f, through which the steam was taken, the exhaust being carried through the long port h in the valve-disk and therefrom through the exhaust-passage J and passages 22 and 20 to the exhaust-conduitJ. Of course by adjusting the said stud q the cutting off of the steam into the steam-chamber may be very early in the cycle of the piston or very late therein, or there may be no cutting oii, the complete revolution of the piston in the latter case being under the pressure or impact of the steam. To reverse the engine, the lever K is swung from the position shown in full lines,Fig. 3, to that shown in dotted lines. The steam thereupon instead of going by the passages 24; and H goes by the passage 24L to and through the passage J, and in proper season the disk valve has a reversal of its position given thereto by swinging the lever F, so that the long port H therein will take the position relatively to the upper left-hand port 9 of Fig. 1, while the one of the narrow ports 9 will come into registry with the lower abutment-port f, in consequence of which of course the steam ingress into the steam-chamber a is in the reversed direction from that shown by the arrow 00 to result in a corresponding reversed driving of the piston and the main shaft. The engine may be throttled by turning in the proper extent the plug-valve K or by turning in the proper extent the valve-disk F.

In the drawings, Fig. 4:, the valve-plug L is shown as having the single way 24 and the axial and radial passages 20 and 22, by means of which the reversal of the engine may be accomplished in the manner above described substantially; but to bring the valve so that the passages therein have the arrangement for reversing which is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4: considerably greater extent of rotary motion has to be given to the said valve.

It is to be stated that this engine apparatus is susceptible of considerable modification and change in respect of details of construction without departing from the leading characteristics of my invention, and while in the foregoing description the engine has been re ferred to generally as a steam-engine it is not limited to the use of steam, for it maybe run by gas, explosively used or otherwise employed, or by air, water, or other fluid or motor agent.

In respect of the valve-disk F, shown and described as a component in this engine, it is to be stated that this is a comparatively important and valuable appliance in its cooperative relations in the engine to the steam and exhaust ports iand j adjacent the cylindrical chamber B and to the end port-provided wall of the rotary abutment E, contributing, as it does, to the controlling and varying capabilities; but this device may be considered in one sense as a movable layer or section of the wall of the chamber B, having openings which may variably register with or be thrown out of coincidence with the ports of the steam-conduit as desired, and a simple form of the engine may be constructed wherein this valve-disk F may be omitted, in which case of course the end wall of the rotary abutment would be disposed closely against the end wall of the chamber B,through which are the ports 2' and j.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. In a rotary steam or otherengine,in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment-wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherallyopening recesses therein, and means for pcriodically partially rotating said rotary abutment.

2. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith,

and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a steam-inlet conduit and a steamexhaust conduit, and a chamber with which they communicate having a steam-valve fitted therein, and passages leading from different portions of the latter chamber respectively to said inlet and exhaust ports, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said portprovided wall of the casing, which abumentwall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherally-opening recesses therein, and means for periodically partially rotating said rotary abutment.

3. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment-wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherallyopening recesses therein, and a shaft provided to the rotary abutment having a disk with a plurality of notches therein, and a rotary support connected to the piston to turn in unison therewith having a stud adapted for period ical impingement against said notched disk.

a. In a rotary steam-engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steam-chamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and'exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutmentwall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherally-opening recesses therein, a shaft extended from the rotary abutment having a disk thereon provided with the notches, an externally-located rotary support connected to the piston, to turn in unison therewith, having a stud adapted for periodical impingement against the notched disk and a detent device engaging the notched disk.

5. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steam chamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment-wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherallyopening recesses therein, means for periodically partially rotating said rotary abutment to bring its respective ports into registry with the inlet and exhaust ports, and means for imparting slight supplemental rotational movements to the rotary abutment subsequent to each operation of said abutment-rotating means, for the purposes set forth.

6. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, a rotatable carrier having a radial piston'fiting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, and said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment-wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherallyopening recesses therein, means for periodically partially rotating said rotary abutment to bring its respective ports into registry with the inlet and exhaust ports, the shaft extended from the abutment having the disk M provided with series of peripheral notches, the rotary carrier N movable in unison with the revoluble piston having the stud p and the secondary stud q arranged for successive operations in the notched disk M for the purposes set forth.

7. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment end wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherally-opening recesses in the abutment, the

abutment-shaft having a part thereon provided with a plurality of separated radiallyextended engagement members, the carrier N having the stud p and the secondary stud g adjustable radially thereon for the purposes set forth.

8. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber,

too

rsaeos said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment end wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherally-opening recesses in the abutment, the abutment-shaft having a part thereon provided with a plurality of separated radiallyextended engagement members, the carrier N having the studp and the secondary stud g adjustable radially thereon, said stud be- 7 ing also adjustable in a line around said carrier, for the purposes set forth.

9. In a rotary steam or other engine, in combination, a casing having an annular steamchamber and an adjoining approximately cylindrical chamber communicating therewith, and a rotatable carrier having a radial piston fitting and revoluble in the steam-chamber, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports through the end wall of the said cylindrical chamber, a rotary abutment of cylindrical form having a plurality of recesses opening to its periphery and having an end wall adjacent said port-provided wall of the casing, which abutment-wall has ports respectively leading therethrough into the peripherallyopening recesses therein, the abutment-shaft having the deep notches dividing it into separate radial engagement members, and the carrier N pertaining to the piston having the engagemen t-studp and having a plate Q adjustable in an arc line around on said carrier, and provided with the stud g which is adjustable on the said adjustable plate in a line radially relatively to said carrier.

10. In a rotary engine, in combination, the casinghavingthe annularsteam-chamberand an approximately cylindrical chamber communicating with the annular chamber, and having separated inlet and exhaust ports leading through the end wall of the cylindrical chamber, a rotatable shaft and a radial piston-wing fitting and movable around in the annular chamber, the rotary abutment having a plurality of recesses therein opening to the periphery thereof fitted in said cylindrical chamber, the valve-disk F, having narrow separated inlet-ports and a comparatively long exhaust-port, located between the end of the rotary abutment and the aforesaid portprovided end wall of the cylindrical chamber, means for rotatably adjusting said valvedisk, and means for imparting periodical rotational movements to the rotary abutment.

11. In a rotary engine, in combination, the casing having the annularsteam-chamber and an approximately cylindrical chamber communicating with the annular chamber, and having separated inlet and exhaust ports leading through the end wall of. the cylindrical chamber, a rotatable shaft and a radial piston-wing fitting and movable around in the annular chamber, the rotary abutment having a plurality of recesses therein opening to the periphery thereof, and having a circular end wall provided with ports opening therethrough into the said recess, said abutment being fitted in said cylindrical chamber, the

valve-disk F, having narrow separated inletports and a comparatively long exhaust-port, located between the port-provided end wall of the rotaryabutmentand the aforesaid portprovided end wall of the cylindrical chamber, means for rotatably adjusting said valve-disk, and means for imparting periodical rotational movements to the rotary abutment.

12. In a rotary engine, in combination, the casing having the annularsteam-chamberand an approximately cylindrical chamber communicating with the annular chamber, and having separated inlet and exhaust ports leading through the end wall of the cylindrical chamber, a rotatable shaft carrying a radial piston-wing, fitting and movable around in the annular chamber, the rotary abutment having a plurality of recesses therein opening to the periphery thereof fitted in said cylindrical chamber, and having an externallyprojected shaft, the valve-disk F, and a sleeve on which it is mounted, said disk having narrow separated inlet-ports and a comparatively long exhaust-port, and located between the end of the rotary abutment and the aforesaid port provided, end wall of the cylindrical chamber, its said sleeve surrounding the abutment-shaft, means connected with said sleeve for turning it and the disk carried thereon, and means for imparting periodical rotational movements to the rotary abutment-shaft.

13. In a rotary engine in combination, the casing having the annularsteam-chamberand an approximately cylindrical chamber communicating with the annular chamber, and having separated inlet and exhaust ports leading through the end wall of the cylindrical chamber, a rotatable main shaft and a radial piston-wing fitting and movable around in the annular chamber, the rotary abutment having a plurality of recesses therein opening to the periphery thereof fitted in said cylindrical chamber, and having a shaft provided with the disk M having separated engagement members, the valve-disk F, having narrow separated inlet-ports and a comparatively long exhaust-port, located between the end of the rotary abutment and the aforesaid port provided end wall of the cylindrical chamber, and having a sleeve surrounding the abutment-shaft which is provided with the lever F, and the rotary carrier on the main shaft having arevoluble member thereon to impinge periodically and successively against the said engagement members of said disk.

1a. In a rotary steam-engine, in combination, the engine-casing having the annular steam-chamber a and the approximately cylindrical chamber B communicating with the steam-chamber, the main shaft and the radial revoluble piston, said casing having inlet and exhaust portsi andj leading through the end wall of said cylindrical chamber B, a cylindrical valve-chamber K having radial steam inlet conduitH and axial steam-exhaust conduit J, with the passages H and J extending from connection with the chamber K respectively tothe ports 2' and j, the rotary abutment E fitted and rotatable in the said chamber B and having recesses therein opening to the periphery thereof, a valve plug having a transverse steamway therethrough and an exhaust-passage extending axially thereinto and continued radially to the periphery of the valve, means for turning said valve and means for periodically imparting rotational movements to the rotary abutment.

15. In a rotary steam-engine, in combination, the engine-casing having the annular steam-chamber a and the approximately cylindrical chamber B communicating with the steam-chamber and the main shaft and the radial revoluble piston, and said casing having inlet and exhaust ports 1; and j leading through the end Wall of said cylindrical chamher, a cylindrical valve-chamber K having radial steam-inlet conduit H and axial steamexhaust conduit J with the passages H and J extending from connection with the chamber K respectively to the ports 2' and j,'the rotary abutment E fitted and rotatable in the said chamber B having the circular end wall provided with the ports ff, and having the periodically imparting rotational movements to the rotary abutment.

Signed by me at Springfield, Massachusetts, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER E. BRIDGE. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, A. V. LEAHY. 

